What's In A Name?
by Willpayforkyouya
Summary: The Sacrifice and the Fighter's names are chosen for them before they were born, it is the course of fate on how they obtaine the names...but what if they could be changed? Ritsuka x Soubi
1. Faithless

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Faithless

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"He won't call."

"Huh? Why do you say that?"

A young man leaned back against the gateway that served as the entrance to the high school, he lead his head back a little with the slightest of smiles curving his lips. He seemed amused by the question and the thought of whether or not he _really_ had to answer the teenager beside him, crossed his mind.

"Ritsuka is still not happy with me." He said simply, "I failed to inform him of my battle and he has been avoiding my calls ever since…myself included."

"Then…why are you here?" the high school girl asked, leaning slightly to the side, her arms folded behind her back, her messenger bag sliding off of her shoulder since she failed to adjust it back into position. Her bright pink cat ears perked in naïve bliss as she stared up at the young man curiously.

Soubi lifted his head back up, his index finger casually rising to aid his glasses before they could slide down the bridge of his nose and threaten to fall off. He looked down at Yuiko with mild surprise at her question, staring at the student in her high school-uniformed glory.

Realizing his expression had faltered; Soubi smiled and closed his eyes as he stuck his hands into his pockets.

"I wanted to see him." He confessed as openly as he proclaimed his love for the younger male. Casual and suave, each time he muttered the words it would cause the student to recoil from him or at least arouse some flushed color in his pale cheeks. Of course Aoyagi would always try to hide it away by letting his sleek black hair hang in his face, but the way his ears drooped was sufficient proof that Soubi's words had an effect on him.

Yuiko smiled, straightening as well, rocking forward and back on the soles of her shoes she stared up admiringly at the man.

"Ritsuka-kun has taught me a lot, Soubi-kun." She said with a much more thoughtful tone, "I've grown to love him more and more over the years…even managed to mature a little more as I came to know him…but…I think you're the only one who _knows_ Ritsuka-kun."

"Yuiko-chan?" Soubi arched an eyebrow.

The pig-tailed school girl smiled, her cheeks ripening to a pale pink that rivaled her ears.

"We're best friends…but Ritsuka-kun doesn't see it as anything more. He still doesn't trust me or Yayoi-kun with a lot of his secrets…like the bandages."

Soubi's face fell a little.

"He's still showing up hurt?"

Yuiko nodded slowly. "This morning…he had one just visible above the collar of his uniform, not to mention two on his face."

She traced two fingers over her cheek to her jaw like two cuts alongside one another…almost as if she was interpreting that Ritsuka had been scratched by something…or someone.

"SOUBI!"

The two immediately lifted their gaze to the source of the voice; a teen was standing just past the gateway, his eyes wide and focused upon the man more then the schoolgirl he was standing next to. He shook his bangs out of his eyes briefly before balling his hands into fists, his ears laid back flat as he walked forward, still all glare and no welcome as he stood directly in front of the two.

"What are you doing here?" Ritsuka demanded.

"You did not order me not to see you anymore. I gave you time to settle down, but you didn't call me…so, once again, I came to you."

"I-Idiot!" Ritsuka snapped, screwing his eyes shut and hanging his head, "You weren't supposed to come anymore. Not unless I called you!"

"R-Ritsuka-kun…" Yuiko touched the teen's shoulder even though he was significantly taller then her now and the comforting gesture looked out of proportion.

"Yuiko-chan. Can I speak with Ritsuka alone?" Soubi asked, rather pleasant considering he had just been scolded by a male that was much younger then him.

"Sure…Ritsuka-kun? I'll see you tomorrow, ok?" she smiled hopefully but the teen didn't look, his eyes were still focused upon the ground and looking rather distraught. She left them with one final word of farewell to Soubi before disappearing with the rest of the crowd bustling out of the high school. Yet even with the vacating students passing them, Augatsuma Soubi and Aoyagi Ritsuka were still standing before one another. Not a sound reached their ears; it was as if the two had been placed in a soundproof room all alone.

It was awkward…it was uncomfortable…it was bliss.

* * *

"What was so important that you had to see me?" Ritsuka asked, sitting down upon a park bench and ignoring the hiss of the leaves overhead in the tree. Soubi didn't join him on the bench; rather he remained standing, his eyes on the teenager sitting casually on the bench. 

He'd grown a lot in four years…

Ritsuka still had his ears, Soubi had to give him credit for that, but it did not take away from the boy's looks in any way to have the appendages of his childish innocence. His long legs were crossed over one another and his slender form slouched slightly against the back of the bench, long-fingered hands looked elegant and almost feminine to him…he was beautiful, indescribable.

"I wanted to see you." Soubi stated, only slightly altering the words that he had spoken to Yuiko only half an hour (if not less) ago.

"That's not it. You're lying again." Ritsuka said, frowning up at his Fighter.

"Why do you say that?"

"You can't just visit someone because you want to. D-Did you miss me or is it something to do with the Seven Moons?"

Soubi stepped closer to the bench and reached down, his fingers hooking and knuckles tilting up the teen's face, earning a startled dark-eyed gaze. He leaned down closer and pressed his lips to the Sacrifice's forehead, jet-black bangs tickling his nose and taunting his face to submit and bury itself into the head of hair, nuzzle the ears and embrace the body to which they were all attached to.

"I love you, Ritsuka."

Ritsuka stiffened and closed his eyes, pushing Soubi away from him but not completely, his hands still clung to the older man's shoulders, the fists grasping handfuls of fabric but still managing to tremble in spite of his attempts to stay them.

"Strange…" he muttered, "its strange…it's strange!"

"Why?"

"You say you love me…you've said it to me for four years…." Ritsuka said, trembling, "But it's only because Seimei told you to!"

"Ritsuka—"

A ringing from Soubi's back pocket interrupted him and Ritsuka's hands immediately released his shirt, the teen lowering his hands onto his thighs and his head lowered, cat ears drooping once again. Augatsuma reached for the cell phone, withdrawing it and flipping the communication interruption open.

"Yes?"

_"Remember…you can't tell him about it, Soubi-kun."_

"Sensei." Soubi said stiffly, Ritsuka's ears perking once he heard the name muttered and he dared to lift his head partially.

_"I can't promise a good result unless you do this without his knowledge. Alteration of fate can not have too many individuals involved."_

"I understand." Soubi said, still a bit firm.

He hung up on the unwelcome voice.

"Who was it, Soubi, an old teacher of yours?"

Soubi looked down at the Sacrifice for a moment before he smiled a little, tucking his phone back into his pocket. Ritsu-sensei wouldn't call back.

"You could say that." He said, slipping down and sitting on the bench beside Ritsuka.

"What did they want?" Ritsuka pressed on, leaning over to see Soubi's face, trying to see if the adult would reveal some sort of reaction to his questioning.

He didn't answer; merely tilted back his head, one of his hands rising and Ritsuka uttered a cry as an arm wrapped around him and tugged him against the man's side. He was close…too close for comfort. The stench of cigarettes greeted him and he wrinkled his nose, pushing at Soubi's side to try and shove him away but the arm clamping him to his side was too strong. It was as if Ritsuka was still only twelve years old, so much weaker then Soubi the adult…

Earless Soubi…

Would he be strong if he lost his ears _too_?

* * *

((Flashback))_

* * *

"What are you doing here?" _

_"I came to see how you were progressing outside on your own. You haven't called me in quite some time and so I was curious."_

_Soubi shut the door behind him, looking at Kio lying on the floor, his eyes closed and mouth slightly agape, it was obvious that he had been rendered unconscious, by some chemical no doubt. He couldn't see any traces of wounds on the other male when he looked him over and judging by the bag lying next to him, he was in the process of picking up the paint supplies that he had allowed him to borrow._

_Lifting his gaze back up, he frowned at the figure knelt on the floor observing his painting that have been leaned up against the wall. The vibrant wings of a jungle butterfly reflected vaguely in the man's glasses when he let the painting fall back against the others. He straightened up, tucking his hands into his pockets and finally turning his gaze up to the Fighter._

_"Your hair has gotten longer since I last saw you at the school…"_

_"Sensei, you didn't come here for a friendly visit. What do you want with me?" Soubi asked, trying to get to the point, a rarity for someone like him._

_"You're being rude to your sensei…" Ritsu-sensei said with a frown. He had yet to be impressed by Soubi's manners but it wasn't much not to be expected since he was the one who had robbed him of his ears and the same person who had somehow managed to betray the Sentouki's trust. "But I suppose that is to be expected…"_

_Leaning back against the door, Soubi watched his former trainer peer about the apartment a moment before sinking down onto the edge of Soubi's bed. He surveyed his student now, eyes trailing up the vaguely familiar body and unwillingly recalling how the skin felt under his hands, even as he looked over him, he could see the scars hidden beneath that shirt, the lash marks…_

_"You're still covering up your name, I see." He observed, removing a pack of cigarettes from the pocket of his lab coat and removing one from the slightly crumpled pack. He placed the cigarette between his lips, hiding away the others within the depths of his pocket again and retrieving a lighter, igniting the tip until a burning red glow consumed the tip. "It hasn't faded away yet, has it?"_

_"No." Soubi touched the base of his neck, "Beloved is still the name I am under. Is that why you are here? Because I am no longer under Seimei's orders and now serve Ritsuka?"_

_The teacher shook his head slowly, taking a steady drag of the death stick before removing it and exhaling a steady stream of gray smoke that lingered in the air. The cigarettes must have been a higher brand compared to the cheaper ones that Soubi purchased; the smoke overpowered the lived-in stench. "No. I did not come to try and take you from Ritsuka or the other way around. I am here because you did not come back to the school and you're living on your own in a pathetic excuse for an apartment. However, rather then lecturing you on your choice of living, I came here to see if your Sacrifice still had his ears or not."_

_"Ritsuka's ears? Why are you curious about those?"_

_"It's not his ears so much as his name." Ritsu-sensei said, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose and returning the cigarette between his lips, "If he still has his ears and you still have your name, then it is obvious you two aren't any closer now then you were four years ago."_

_"My name has nothing to do with Ritsuka's ears."_

_"But it does." Sensei smirked, "If both of you express the same amount of love for one another, it will be enough to change your name. You can thank another teacher for that minor detail."_

_"You mean names can be changed?" Soubi stared, "But they said it was impossible for names to be changed. The names were bestowed upon individuals before they were even born."_

_Sensei held up a hand and Soubi found himself quietening obediently before he could catch himself._

_"It is possible." He murmured, more smoke rising from his lips when he removed the cigarette and held it between his fingers as he glanced up at Soubi, "They just arranged it so that no one would try to confuse the record by changing their name every time they fell in love. We'd loose order and it would cause problems in some areas." He closed his eyes, leaning forward a little before opening them again, "The point is that you have the potential to change your name and give him his…and so now I wonder…"_

_"What?"_

_"Will you go through with it?" he asked, "Find out just how your Sacrifice feels for you?"_

_"I don't know. He probably will think that telling him how I can change my name—"_

_"You can't tell him." Ritsu said shortly, flicking ashes onto the floor and earning a frown from his former student._

_Soubi pushed off of the wall, gazing at his teacher as he rose from the edge of the bed and started towards him, his hands still in the pockets of his white lab coat. He stood directly in front of Soubi; both men peering over their glasses at one another, neither of them seeming too pleased by the looks they were giving one another._

_"Ritsuka is not to know of your reasons behind your actions. If he knows, it will be seen as just a move to change your name and your experiences will mean nothing, you will still be under dissimilar names."_

_"So I have to continue keeping secrets…" Soubi murmured, chuckling softly to himself, "Sensei, you still torture me."_

_"Only a little, Soubi-kun." He said, reaching up and tilting up Soubi's face with a knuckle. "Only when I feel like it."_

_

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_

A/N: How was it for the beginning of my first Loveless fan fic? My computer finally allowed me to work on it, YAY!


	2. Rideless

"I don't want to try that…it sounds weird."

"But…"

"Why does it sound "weird" Ritsuka-kun?"

Aoyagi's ears drooped and he turned his head away from the two teens staring at him pleadingly.

"I don't want to get on that thing." He said, the thing turning out to be the Ferris wheel where Yuiko and Yayoi were standing just beside the line leading up to it. Their ears too drooped but from Ritsuka's refusal to get onto the easy-going ride rather then the _idea_ of riding it. Yayoi was pleased that Yuiko would be riding with him on the ride, grant it he was still only half an inch taller then Yuiko but it was still a lot better then his height set-back when they were twelve years old. He was still bent on making her his…and this was one of his few chances to ride something that required two people. Unfortunately…four years of Aoyagi Ritsuka had made him into a sap and he was beginning to like the boy's company more then he used to. A friendship was forged on both ends but it wasn't enough for Yayoi to sacrifice Yuiko to him.

"Does your stomach hurt, Ritsuka-kun?" Yuiko asked, tilting her head to the side slightly.

"No. I just don't want to get on that." He said stiffly.

Yayoi's ears lifted immediately.

Was it because he would have to get on by himself?

"Aoyagi-kun…do you want someone to ride with you?" Yayoi asked, blinking past his glasses at his classmate.

"That's not it!" he snapped; gasping when he noticed that he had shouted and lowered his eyes again; continuing in a quieter tone, "I…just don't want to ride it, that's all. You guys can go ahead and ride it; I'm going to go get something to eat at one of the stands."

"Ritsuka-kun…" Yuiko frowned, pouting.

"I'm ok, Yuiko-chan." Ritsuka said with a wry smile, "Go on."

Yayoi reached over and encircled his fingers around Yuiko's wrist, lightly tugging on it. "Yuiko-san…the line's gone down."

She hesitated but Ritsuka just smiled and nodded his head, she protested for a moment longer before Yayoi led her away to get into the decreasing line before more people found out the decreasing rate.

Ritsuka watched them retreat further and further away before he turned his back to them and the ride itself, slipping his hands into the pockets of his coat as he wondered towards the many venders that lined the walkways of the amusement park. As he said to them, he would get something to eat but with the rate that the ride was going…it wasn't going to be over when he had already eaten something. That was the curse of waiting…time crawled on forever.

Letting his feet determine which of the venders he was bound to go to, Ritsuka's mind focused on the item that his fingers kept coiling around in his pocket. The smooth casing of his cell phone that Soubi had given him. He didn't allow the adult to purchase him a different one, cell phones were expensive and he wasn't in need of an advanced gadget as most students seemed to be interested in. The idea of checking his e-mail while talking to Yuiko or even Soubi and downloading i-tunes were not exactly turn-ons in his mind.

"What kind will you have?"

Ritsuka looked up at the vender he had stopped randomly in front of. It was a pleasant-looking middle-aged woman and a vender of some strange advertisement mentioning "The Ice-Cream of the Future!" in aqua characters with little dots of pink and the same shade added to the sides. He looked at the little list of kinds taped onto the glass; each one was written in the color that most suited the flavor.

"Chocolate-Mint?" he read aloud and then looked up at the woman, "I'll have that one…"

She nodded and removed a wax-coated paper bowl from a stack and then scooped up spoonfuls of tiny dots of brown and a very light green. He arched an eyebrow at the substance, fingers absently stroking the phone in his pocket while the other felt for money and he paid the woman for the awkward treat. It was only later when he realized that it was actually a tasty item and he would be looking for that stand in the future.

Even after this little treat, however, Ritsuka's mind wondered back to the cell phone in his pocket, his hand was gripping it now and he even pulled it out, looking down at it as it rest peacefully in his palm. The nagging question had returned and he sighed.

"I want to call him…but he'd just say the same thing…" he mumbled, shoving the phone back into the depths of the pocket. "I love you, I love you, I love you…"

He silently cursed Soubi in frustration as his quoting had so suddenly caused him to be placed in a foul mood.

_Does he really love me?_

Judging by how casually the man said it, he found it hardly likely…but it has been four years and Soubi had kissed him so many times in between those years…they felt real and meaningful…but most of them occurred during battles with bored members of Seven Moons that were dispatched to cause them problems as they seemed to always do.

Ritsuka slung himself onto the side of a brick planter supporting a small shrub of some sort that the park must have installed as decoration. He braced his hands behind him and let his head drop back; staring up at the sky as small clouds drifted past, not much of a threat to the sun bearing down upon the amusement park with unseasonly heat.

The sacrifice's eyes began to droop, the lids wanting to shut out the sky before a shadow crossed the sunlight and did not move. Someone was standing in front of him. Perhaps it was Yuiko who decided at the last minute that she didn't want to ride the Ferris Wheel without him being on the ride as well…the voice that seemed to carry over all of the surrounding voices was proof that that was definitely not the case…

"Ritsuka?"

He jerked his head up immediately, eyes wide as the deep voice echoed in his ears and gaze drinking up every second that they stared at the figure before him.

"S-Soubi!"

The man smiled , leaning forward with his hands in his pockets, a cigarette between his lips and a steady stream of smoke disappearing into the atmosphere before Ritsuka could attempt to follow it and let his sights rest on something else rather then the dirty blond before him. He felt his ears relaxing and starting to lower as the color rose in his cheeks.

He had just debated over calling the man…and here he was. Was Soubi spying on him? How was it that he always turned up wherever he was at on that same day? It was never coincidence…and he was sure that Soubi made certain of that.

"What are you doing here?"

"Kio suggested I took him here. I had a feeling that you would still be here since Yuiko-chan told me you were coming along with Yayoi-kun and herself. I'm glad I chose now to come, otherwise I might not have been able to see you today."

"Why would that be a problem?" Ritsuka asked, arching an eyebrow, causing his ears to return back to their upright position.

Soubi looked down at the teen in surprise.

"You wouldn't miss me?"

Ritsuka's face burned as he turned his head away, glaring off to the side as he muttered something that was too soft for Soubi to hear. The Fighter simply smile and approached Ritsuka, reaching down and turning his face up to him, bending down he kissed him, earning a rigid individual for a moment before he felt the familiar push of Ritsuka's protesting hands. He grew to know those hands rather well…

"Stop it! You can't do that in public!" he shouted, jumping up, Soubi straightening casually, unfazed by Ritsuka's yelling. "There are little kids present and don't you think that you might give some little old ladies heart attacks with displays like that?"

Soubi glanced back over his shoulder, "I don't see any old ladies, no children either." He said, returning his gaze to Ritsuka, "Only a few vendors and people enjoying other means of entertainment…"

"Soubi…" he growled.

"Where are Yuiko-chan and Yayoi-kun, by the way?" he asked, Ritsuka feeling as if he could fall over when he heard the abrupt change of subject all of a sudden.

"They're on the Ferris wheel."

"Why did you not get on?"

"I didn't want to." He said sharply, "I'm waiting for them to get off."

"The line was pretty long…it could take a while…yet you want to sit here alone?" Soubi's eyebrows raised, "Rather lonely day at the amusement park, Ritsuka. You don't have to be alone if that was why you didn't get on…"

"I'm not lonely." Ritsuka snapped, striding off. Soubi followed him, not far behind and walking at an easier pace behind his sacrifice. "Besides, how can I be lonely when you follow me everywhere?"

Soubi smiled, lengthening his strides so that he walked beside Ritsuka, reaching over, he rested a hand over the teen's shoulder and guided him to his side, draping his arm about him the closer his body came.

"I can't leave you alone, Ritsuka…" he said softly so that only Ritsuka could hear.

It wasn't much of a challenge…every time he spoke, his would be the only voice Ritsuka could hear. The Sentouki could bend words to his will, manipulate them into spells that entwined Ritsuka in their verbal fingers and fastened him to the adult with shackles made from syllables. The intoxicating pronouns and antonyms, that slid sensually from pale lips accompanied by the visual flash of intelligence behind windows of glasses. Acronyms teased, adjectives caressed…he was trapped…he had been trapped since the first sound of a letter that formed the first word of what passed Soubi's lips left his vocal chords. He had been under the Japanese spell ever since.

"Days…nights…weekends…holidays." Soubi breathed, pulling Ritsuka gently with him and slipping behind one of the stands, pushing him against the brick wall that fenced in the amusement park and bracing his hands on either side of the teen's shoulders.

"Y-You can't do that…" he managed to choke out, shriking a little, somehow intimidated by the intense blue eyes focusing upon him. The bastard still had a height advantage…

"I can. There is nothing I can't do for you, Ritsuka…" he said and leaned down, his mouth near his human ear, "I'm going to be around you, until the end of time…"

Ritsuka jumped, his back scratching against the rough bricks as Soubi rested a hand upon his shoulder, another settling against his hip. The sacrifice was pushed against the wall by the hand upon his shoulder as a warm mouth brushed against his jaw and moved down to his neck, the hip hand stroking up the teen's side, dragging up his shirt partially with each firm stroke.

"S-Stop it—" Ritsuka choked out as Soubi pressed his lips against his jugular after tilting his head back. The tips of his ears grazed the wall and his tail whipped side to side on occasion. Soubi's long fingers curled behind his head, his pinky on his neck while the other digits tangled into his hair.

It was obvious that the man wasn't about to stop by his own verbal command…his words had no where near the effect that Soubi's had upon him.

The Sentouki's fingers grazed the exposed sliver of skin that was Ritsuka's stomach and earned a gasp from his Sacrifice and felt the boy cringe from his touch. They had only been sensual once and that had been years ago when he was still only twelve…but Zero luckily stopped Soubi's persuit before Ritsuka's ears would be in any danger.

But not this time…

This time there were no enemies to harm newfound friends…no screams of horror or agony…only the merriment of the amusement park and the sounds of Soubi's pecking kissed trailing up his neck to his jaw again and then consuming his lips. A sound vibrated through Ritsuka's hesitant lips as he managed to respond to the kiss. It was hard not to kiss back when one's mouth was receiving so much attention…

Soubi's hand turned and his nails grazed over the flesh of Ritsuka's stomach. They didn't hurt, but they sent a tickling sensation through the quivering muscles and the high school student shivered, his response muffled by Soubi's gag that was his own mouth.

He pushed his hand up beneath Ritsuka's shirt, opening his eyes slightly to see the result of his touches and kisses. Ritsuka seemed to be giving in…but was it just a spur of the moment? Would that be enough to change the names that were so different? The polar opposite names that made them so ineffective to the bored enemies?

"Hey, what are you doing back there?" a gruff voice snapped, Soubi pulling away and Ritsuka letting out a gasp, his lips glistening and cheeks flushed.

A vendor was there, obviously noticing that there was something happening behind his booth and went to check on it…he was probably not suspecting to see what it was that he saw.

Before Ritsuka could react, Soubi's fingers seized his wrist and he was pulled out from behind the vendor's booth, his legs were forced into a run as Soubi towed him behind, leading him back towards the rides. They were heading for the Ferris wheel.

Yuiko and Yayoi were just getting off.


	3. Touchless

The long-awaited third chapter has finally made it. I hope you guys like it. Thank you for the reviews.

* * *

**_Touchless_**

* * *

"Ritsuka?"

"What is it?"

"What are you working on?"

"A report on Nichi."

"Nichi? Quite a topic to do a report on…"

"I read a lot of his stuff when I was younger." He said, typing out some more information over the processor. "I like it. So I based this report on it."

"I see…"

Soubi fished through his pockets, fingers searching for a lighter until they finally coiled around it. His gaze shifted to the window as he ignited it, lighting the tip of a slightly bent cigarette that had been the last one in the box he had crammed into his pocket earlier that day. He was still smoking too much but as long as the window was open, Ritsuka didn't complain that much.

Inhaling the killing substance, Soubi leaned his head back onto the mattress of Ritsuka's bed.

"Your mother went out?"

"Yeah." Ritsuka said, his typing slowing a little. He seemed to be reaching a block in his writing. "She wanted to see my father."

His typing sped up again.

Peering over at the teen hunched over the computer, Soubi removed the cigarette from between his lips, holding it between his fingers as he drew up a knee, bracing his elbow upon it. All the while his striking gaze remained on Ritsuka as he worked away at the computer. He didn't mind it though…it was nice being able to watch the high school student work. Less yelling this way.

Ritsuka's tail twitched from side to side as he concentrated, the black fur glossy in the ceiling light and looking taunting for Soubi to stroke it. But he knew better…Ritsuka had been bitter towards him whenever he saw him ever since the amusement park incident. It was probably because he came on too strong in a public place. The Sacrifice was always testy about public displays of affection…

"Hey, Soubi…"

"Yes?"

When he lifted his gaze, Ritsuka had turned in his chair slightly, he was pulling his legs around and now facing him the best he could. He gripped the back of his chair as his ears drooped, the screen behind him was blank, meaning he had shut down the computer in the time that Soubi took looking at his tail.

"Back then…at the Amusement Park…did you…do anything like that…with Seimei?"

Arching an eyebrow at this question, Soubi turned his head forward, taking a drag of his cigarette and watching the smoke as he slowly exhaled.

"No." he said earnestly, "Seimei wasn't into that sort of thing."

What looked like relief crossed the teen's face as he turned back around in his chair, staring at the black screen. "Good…"

"Why do you ask?"

He didn't answer.

"Ritsuka?"

"Forget it…" he murmured, resting his elbows upon his desk and supporting his chin in his palms.

"Ritsuka…"

"Shut up!" he said sharply, closing his eyes as he grit his teeth, the short fuse was about to ignite the explosive. "I was…just curious…"

Soubi stared for a while, holding the shortening cigarette between his fingers, hardly noticing that it was growing closer to the filter as he continued to ignore it. The curiosity of Ritsuka…that was something he hadn't seen for some time now. Ritsuka could always figure it out on his own or Agatsuma would just have to explain it to him…but this was a nice change.

* * *

Ritsuka sighed, touching his face.

Soubi wore him out…he always wore him out; the man was hazardous to his health!

Hearing something move behind him, Ritsuka didn't bother to look but a moment later he found himself encircled by a pair of long arms and a face was nestling against his neck, nose grazing his skin and breath tickling the sensitive flesh.

"S-Soubi…" he squeaked, immediately embarrassed by the mousy sound that came out of his own mouth.

"I love you, Ritsuka…"

He stiffened as lips grazed his neck, hands moving up his chest from behind and combing fingers up into his hair, the tips touching the base of his ears.

_It's in the way…this chair, your clothes…this skin…all of it is in the way…it's what separates you and me from our name…_

"W-What are you doing?" Ritsuka asked, trying to turn his head to look over his shoulder but there was the fact that there was a mouth giving his neck quite a bit of attention that made the task even more difficult then he wanted it to be. "S-Stop…"

Soubi coaxed the teen's head to tilt further to the side, running the tip of his tongue up his neck and nipping at his human earlobe.

"A-At least let me face you!" he snapped, jerking away from the Fighter's hands and spinning around in his chair, glaring at him as he roughly wiped his neck in spite of the fact that there wasn't any wet there.

"Yes…Master…" Soubi said, standing up and leaning over the catboy, his glasses flashed in the light of Ritsuka's lamp as he leaned down closer.

Ritsuka closed his eyes as he found his mouth taken over by the Sentouki's own manipulative lips. The smell of cigarettes filled his nose and he wanted to cough but he couldn't at the same time. He squeezed his eyes tight shut as he felt his lips yield to Soubi's and his mouth was coaxed open within moments. As soon as he yielded, he lapped at the mouth over his timidly at first before he felt the chair roll back and inch, the back colliding with the desk.

* * *

Soubi had braced his hands on the armrests of Ritsuka's chair when he leaned over and to keep his hands to himself when he kissed the Sacrifice…but when he felt the tongue graze his own, he lost his balance and the chair collided with the desk but now Soubi's hands were cupping the teen's face, he could feel him writhe in the deskchair, his legs bumping his own, back arching against the tilted back of the chair. The way he craned his head to try and reach if he tried to be playful and put a little distance between them…the playfulness didn't last long...

Wrestling his mouth away, Soubi panted a little as Ritsuka's hands clung to his shoulders and he wrapped his arms around his neck, licking his earlobe and biting it lightly as he had done earlier, this time it was like a pinch since his earrings were in the way. He ran a hand down Ritsuka's side and around to his back, looping the arm about him and pulling him out of the chair onto his feet as he took a step back.

Touching his face with his free hand, Soubi smiled down at the teenager, though his height was improving, he still had the advantage…

"I love you."

Ritsuka bit his bottom lip a moment before he reached up and lightly touched the Fighter's bandages around his neck to hide the name. He lightly trailed his fingers down his chest, fingering a button on his shirt and looking at it in silence.

"My…ears…" he murmured.

Smiling lightly, the Sentouki kissed his forehead and embraced him, bracing a hand on the back of his head.

"If that is what you wish…" he said, removing a hand from the embrace and taking off his glasses. "I am yours. I will do anything for you, Ritsuka."

Ritsuka wrapped his arms tightly around his neck, pulling him down a little and buried his face into his shoulder.

"I don't care…I don't want to think about it anymore…I don't want to think!"

Soubi smiled.

"Then…don't think at all."

He smoothed his hands up and down the teen's back a moment and then probed one beneath his shirt. The Sacrifice gasped, jumping from the sudden hand on his bare back but he didn't push Soubi away.

Instead he let him straighten up, pressing his forehead against his collarbone and hesitantly unfastened one of the fighter's shirt buttons.

_Don't think…let your body do what feels right…_

* * *

Feeling the shirt loosen around Soubi, he lifted his head, peering down at the bare chest down to the visible navel and then back up. He curiously touched the lightly defined muscles of Soubi's stomach and grazed his nails upwards, noticing how the muscles instinctively quivered from the scratching touch. He could see white lines fading immediately from the trails his nails left behind.

Leaning into him, Ritsuka kissed lightly at Soubi's collarbone just as he felt his shirt being pulled upwards, his own hands pushing Soubi's over his shoulders, his moving arms making it difficult ro remove it any further so his hands ran down the flesh and around to the back that he couldn't see.

"Ritsuka…"

He heard Soubi's voice come out in a struggled way…was it because of his wondering hands? What was it that made his voice come out so struggled like that?

He pressed himself into him, clinging to him, his hiked up shirt letting his own bare stomach press against Soubi's. He swallowed as Soubi pulled it up further, making him lift his arms and it was gone…Soubi's shirt slid to a puddle behind him shortly afterwards.

Hands touching, fingers exploring, the two caught one another's mouthes on every opportune occasion but neither moved to remove the final items that separated them from one another. Ritsuka's skin flushed from Soubi's kisses, Soubi's ragged breathing from Ritsuka's touch…neither of them wanted to stop…but apparently there was someone out there who wanted them to…

Soubi froze, releasing Ritsuka, the teen's mood immediately cooling off as they both looked at the phone sitting on Ritsuka's desk, the rings a beautiful and yet aggravating sound while the little light flashed on Soubi's phone.

Bending down, Soubi picked up his shirt and went to the phone, picking it up and answering as casually as if he had just been sitting there smoking all this time.

Ritsuka despised the phone…but most of all…he despised himself for letting himself give in.

* * *

"_You can't move forward unless you've established that he loves you, Soubi-kun."_

Soubi frowned at the teacher's voice on the other end of the line but when he glanced over towards Ritsuka, the teen was already pulling his shirt back on over his head, checking his bandages to make sure that they were still in place.

"_Do you understand, Soubi-kun?"_

"I understand." He said quietly and hung up on him, pocketing the phone as he turned back to Ritsuka.

"What'd they want?" he asked, his voice a little annoyed.

"Kiio wants me to pick up some art supplies that he's been holding onto for months. He said to do it now before he forgot again." He lied, pulling his shirt on before falling still, looking at the disgruntled teenager standing before him.

"Then go get it…" he growled, "I don't want to see you."

"Understood…" he said, walking past the Sacrifice towards the window, "I love you, Ritsuka."

* * *

As he disappeared out the window, Ritsuka pulled his deskchair back out and sank into it, moments later, he cursed at himself…and dropped his head onto the desk.

_I don't want it…I don't want to feel like that…but I can't help it when you touch me like that. Why do you have to touch me like that?_

_Soubi…_

* * *

**Author's Note:**

How was it? I hope it was ok. I admit, once again I leave you guys hanging. Sorry about that. I hope I can get up the next chapter soon. Please review.


	4. Lustless

* * *

**_Lustless_**

* * *

"If you keep this up, you'll lose him…"

Soubi glanced over his shoulder at the teacher sitting on the edge of his bed. He was removing another one of those expensive brands of cigarettes from his coat pocket and withdrawing one. The fluid movements were enough to make the man feel sick.

"I know." He said quietly, turning his attention back to his refrigerator where he had been looking for a canned tea to drink but due to the recent occurrences with Ritsuka…he had neglected to buy any kind of food or beverage for some time. All he had was an open soda left behind by Kiio on his last visit. "But I don't recall inviting you into my apartment."

"I just followed you in. Normally I would have called…" Ritsu-sensei placed the cigarette between his lips and ignited a match to light it. As smoke curled up from the burning tip, his eyes glanced up at Soubi with his unintentionally sharp gaze. "…but you would have just hung up on me without even answering. I can't keep leaving the school like this, Soubi-kun."

"Then stop coming here." The Sentouki said, not daring to raise his voice to his former teacher but the annoyance was definitely hanging upon the very edge.

"But then I will not be able to check on your progress," Ritsu-sensei exhaled, the sickly perfumed scent of the cigarette smoke making Soubi frown and abandon his fruitless search for a beverage, opening the door to his small porch to allow it to pass out into the chilling early evening atmosphere.

"I'm starting to think that your idea of names being changed is a lie…"

"And for what purpose would I lie to you, Soubi-kun?"

Agatsuma touched his chin, turning to face the doorway, ignoring the teacher as he rose from where he had been seated and advanced slightly upon his former student.

"The truth is…there is no reason to lie to you." He said softly, reaching out from behind him and lightly running his fingers into Soubi's ponytail that he had half-heartedly adorned upon his returning home. The strands felt so soft in spite of belonging to such a rude man.

Soubi brushed the hand away, stepping away from Ritsu but finally facing him.

"Soubi-kun…"

"Only Ritsuka can touch me like that." He said, peering over his glasses at the teacher with a cold glare.

"Ah, I see…" Ritsu-sensei lowered his hand, slipping it into his pocket as he pinched his cigarette between two fingers with his other hand, smoke creeping from his lips a moment before he blew the rest away. "I have been declined the possibility of experiencing that touch again, is that right?"

"Yes." He said darkly.

Nodding a little, Ritsu turned away, heading towards the door. As he reached for the handle, he paused and peered back over at the Fighter.

"Find out how he feels about you, Soubi-kun. Or you'll be as separate as you have ever been since the day you met."

* * *

"You're inviting that kid over!"

"Kiio, he's not a kid anymore."

Kiio pouted, "I know that…but he still seems like a kid to me."

"Why are you here?" Soubi asked; arching an eyebrow as he noticed something in Kiio's hand that was hanging at his side while the other was hanging onto yet another sucker, today's flavor was a too sweet lemon.

"Oh, that's right…I wanted you to make this into a painting. A client wanted this picture made into a beautiful painting and since it had a butterfly, I thought I'd have you do it."

"It's not my client." Soubi said, picking up a painting that had fallen over from where it had been propped against the wall.

"But you're _always_ painting butterflies, Soubi!" Kiio whined.

The Sentouki ignored the whines and focused on carefully plucking a few hairs from the painting he had picked up. He had to be careful since the painting was mostly oils and were still not completely dry, in fact they wouldn't be for a while now. It was a miracle that none had gotten on the floor.

"Come on! Paint it! If it's good…I'll shut up about Ritsuka."

Soubi stiffened a moment, resting the painting back against the wall and slowly turning to Kiio, a sly smirk creeping across his lips. "Is that your price?"

Kiio swallowed. _Now I'm not sure if that's what I'll use for payment…I know!_

He grinned, "I'll ravage you until you can't sta—"

Soubi was already observing the picture, Kiio not even realizing that he had already taken it from his hand while saying he would do it. That was the power of Soubi's words…he could make Kiio forget what was happening all around him. If he used the right tones the man would forget that he had even spoken…

"I'll work on it until Ritsuka arrives. When is the deadline?"

"Um…the fourteenth…"

"That gives me till next month then." Soubi said softly, observing the butterfly on the photograph, it was a blue butterfly...

Soubi chortled to himself.

_Funny how it turns out to be blue…_

"Well, if you're going to do it...then I guess I should just go ahead and let you get to it." Kiio said, slowly advancing towards the door, all the while he stared over his shoulder at Soubi to see if he would stop him. Reconsider seeing Ritsuka and stop his cradle-robbing ways…

"Alright."

Was all he said.

"S-Soubi…" Kiio's eyes watered, "Y-YOU'RE SO CRUEL!"

The Fighter peered up in confusion just as his friend ran out the door, letting it slam behind him. He stared at the paneling for the longest time before he finally felt a smile curve his lips and he lowered his eyes to the photograph again.

"Cruel…huh?" he murmured. _Maybe I am…_

As he retreated to his bed, sinking onto the edge, Soubi continued to stare down at the delicate blue butterfly on the picture. For some reason he couldn't take his eyes off it for very long…the vibrant blue was beautiful and the blurry background made his eyes want to focus on the insect even more.

_I am cruel…especially when I am with Ritsuka._

* * *

"Soubi?"

Ritsuka looked the door up and down for a moment, his breath drifting up in small white puffs as the early winter evening tried to rob him of all of his precious heat. He reached up and once again knocked upon the painted wood of the Sentouki's apartment door. The brass numbers rattling a little on their tiny nails.

"Soubi!" he shouted in frustration with the fact that the man wasn't answering even though he was the one who invited him in the first place.

Banging his fist on the door, he glared at the crack where wood met wood, baring him from his fighter and the warmth that could have been inside of that apartment. The numbers rattled a little more before the door finally gave way and Soubi appeared, a little surprised looking even though he had been waiting for Ritsuka for a while now.

"Ritsuka…"

"You invited me over for some reason…and I had to sneak out so that Mother didn't catch me out after my new curfew." Ritsuka said, wishing that he hadn't have said his name because that meant he spoke and the Sacrifice was already under the man's influence. He felt his blood run cold as if the winter air had frozen it itself and his heart struggled to pump the frozen life force. His ears drooped; tail twitching side to side beneath his coat. "W-What do you want?"

Soubi smiled, pulling the door wide open and stepping outside, placing a guiding hand against the small of Ritsuka's back, he led him inside, closing the door behind them without a noticeable sound. Which wasn't a surprise…Ritsuka couldn't focus on other sounds outside of Soubi's voice whenever he spoke and everything else was a dull, muffled murmur…as if someone was talking to him through water.

"I wanted to see you…it's been a few days since I last saw you, Ritsuka." He said, trying to appear innocent obviously.

Ritsuka snapped out of his trance as best he could, moving away from the hand and looking around the practically barren apartment to occupy his eyes.

"Since my report." He said stiffly.

Soubi nodded a little, noticing how Ritsuka's head bowed as he said it. It was obvious that he was thinking about other things then Soubi's simple sitting on the floor while he worked on his report. It wasn't an easy thing to forget…even for Soubi, who wanted to forget anything that lie within his past. In fact…it was probably the first time he ever wanted to relive the past…

"Ritsuka."

As Ritsuka lifted his head again, Soubi was upon him, his arms around the teenager, holding him close against him.

"S-Soubi!" the Sacrifice panicked, gripping the man's sweater and trying to push him away and yet his hands didn't want to give the effort of pushing the man away. They wanted to pull him in…pull him closer then ever…but he couldn't do that, not now, not when he was already risking angering his mother for sneaking out...

"Stop it!"

"No."

Ritsuka gasped as Soubi's arms wrapped tighter around him, the Sentouki's hands gripping his coat while he was squeezed against his body, pressed so firmly against him that the teenager could hardly move. His overpowering scent of cigarettes filling Ritsuka's lungs and his surprising contrast of warmth compared to the outside weather's chill made shivers run through Ritsuka's body.

"S-Soubi...l-let me go."

"I don't want to." Soubi whispered, releasing his coat, a hand running down his back. "I don't want to let you go…"

"T-That's an order!" Ritsuka cried out.

The embrace immediately stiffened as Soubi's breath caught in his lungs. Ritsuka had given an order…but even though his body was beginning to obey…his mind was screaming for it not to.

Ritsuka himself didn't want Soubi to let go…it was his fear…his fear of the pain that would come with his return to his home and his mother discovering his earless appearance. If he returned without his ears, or if he returned and she discovered him as he snuck back in…he would endure worse punishment then he had endured before.

Slowly, the arms slackened and released the teenager. Soubi moved away from Ritsuka, retreating to his back porch doorway and peering out at the night sky. The prominent stars overhead seemed to arch in a mocking smile at the Sentouki…it was laughing at him…because of his desires.

"Soubi…"

"I'm sorry…Ritsuka." Soubi said with a sigh, "It's becoming increasingly difficult."

"What is?" the Sacrifice risked a step forward.

"I can't tell you…and that is why it is becoming such a difficulty for me to endure." He said, looking back at Ritsuka over his shoulder.

"Why can't you tell me? What are you hiding now?" Ritsuka demanded; his brow furrowing.

"I'm sorry Ritsuka." He apologized again, "But I can't tell you. Even if you order me to…"

Ritsuka grit his teeth, balling his hands into fists. "Is it something…you can't tell me…because our names are different? Is it because I'm not Seimei?"

Soubi turned to the teenager.

"Will you disappear, Soubi?" the high school astudent inquired suddenly, "If I don't do something, will you leave me?"

Soubi's eyes widened. He didn't know why Ritsuka considered that being a possibility, he had promised to be with him…did the boy still have doubts?

"That's it isn't it?" Ritsuka asked, his angered tone suddenly disapating and he smiled wryly, his eyes hidden by his bangs as his ears hung and his hands were limp at his sides. "You're going to be taken away…and I'll be alone again…"

"Ritsuka—"

The Sacrifice approached him slowly, all the while Soubi wasn't able to see his eyes, his lengthening bangs obscuring them with his head bowed as it was. Though Ritsuka's ears had erected again, the teen's mood didn't seem to improve. He reached up, grabbing the collar of Soubi's shirt and pulling him towards him, pressing his lips against his.

_They're not taking you from me…you said that you were mine…_

Soubi had been caught offguard by Ritsuka's sudden kiss, he stared at the open eyes looking right back at him…they were glassy but focused harshly on him. He could see that Ritsuka's emotions were once again conflicting within him and he didn't want his words to entwine him into another spell of acronyms or caress him with seductive tones…this was the master's will and the master would act first.

_Bind me to you forever, Ritsuka…_Soubi thought, touching the teen's face gently with his fingertips before cupping it in his hands. His skin was still icy from the cold night air on spite of the ages it seemed to have been since he entered his apartment. _Tell me what you feel…let the words chain us together for all eternity…_

Pulling away from Soubi's warm lips, Ritsuka stepped back a few steps, away from his hands and his body. He swallowed, his cheeks reddening as he realized what he had done, the ears drooping once again.

He sank onto the edge of Soubi's bed, hanging his head as he unfastened his coat to let his sudden overpowering warmth be relieved.

"I…don't want you to leave…Soubi…" he said, so quietly that Soubi almost missed the words as he stared down at his seated form. He approached him slowly until he was standing just in front of him.

"Why?" he asked quietly, reaching out a hand to his Sacrifice.

Ritsuka unwittingly rest his hand in Soubi's.

"Because...I've been with you for so long that it is hard to picture life without you near…ever since I was little and we first met…I've been so close to you…and now I…I…"

Soubi leaned down, touching a finger to the teen's lips. "If you do not love me…command me…and I will never touch you this way again." He said, the rest of his fingers resting over Ristuka's mouth before smoothing to beneath his chin, tilting his face up, "I will never kiss you again…never embrace you…"

As he said this he bent down closer and lightly pecked his forehead and then his cheek, grazing his lips over his flesh as he moved to his jaw and then leaning away.

"I will not do what makes you uncomfortable…"

He knelt down before him and rest his hands on his knees, Ritsuka stiffening as he sat up straight to see what it was the Sentouki was doing. Soubi gently eased the legs apart, moving in between the knees so that he was so close to Ritsuka now that not even an inch could cleanly separate them.

"And I will never…ever…" he ran his hands up his thighs and beneath the folds of his coat, submerging under his shirt and grazing over the warm flesh of his stomach, making Ritsuka flinch. "…seduce you again."

Ritsuka closed his eyes as the fingers tickled over his stomach and ran up over his chest then smoothing around his sides and long fingers tensed against his back. He tilted back his head, eyes closed so tightly he could see white spots.

"Just tell me…what to do." Soubi said, nuzzling his neck.

"I…don't…" he struggled to even breathe, let alone speak. His words came in trembling murmurs. "I…D-don't want you to…I don't want you to stop…"

Soubi leaned away again, catching his eyes. He knew that there was more to that sentence.

"…but you have to."

There it was.

"S-Soubi…I can't." Ritsuka said, scooting further onto his Fighter's bed and then crawling off the other end, standing up and smoothing his shirt out, trying to forget the feeling of Soubi's hands beneath it. "I…I have to go."

With that, he hurried towards the door, wrenching it open and about to step out when a hand grabbed his wrist and the bewitching words of Soubi's mindless incantaions shot through him like a bullet.

"I love you, Ritsuka."

* * *

((Well what do you think? This story is hard to continue so you'll get your mature stuff soon, no worries. Please review or there will be no fuel to power the creative mind. If there is no creative mind, then there's **NO STORY**.))


	5. Kissless

**_Kissless_**

**_-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_**

"I don't understand what it is about these manga...the stories hardly sound realistic…"

"And since when did you purchase anime?" Soubi asked, brushing Ritsuka's hair away from his human ear and resting his chin over the teen's shoulder, his eyes wondering over the small black and white panels of the manga that was held open in Ritsuka's hands.

In spite of his all around satisfaction with having the Sacrifice seated between his legs, the small elbows braced upon his knees while the teen was reading a manga…his hands were hardly able to stay braced on the floor for very long. His fingers wanted to touch Ritsuka too badly…

He had a difficult time managing to get Ritsuka to allow him into his room recently, finding the sliding door locked or being chased out by an infuriorated Sacrifice…but the teenager had finally managed to allow him to visit again. Tonight he was fortunate enough for Ritsuka to thoughtlessly sit in between his legs as casually as lovers but he didn't think much of it since he was enveloped in trying to figure out the story behind the borrowed comic.

"I didn't buy this, Yuiko said I should read it and then lent it to me." He said, closing it on one of his fingers and showing him the title of the manga.

Soubi peered over his glasses at the title and smirked. "You realize…that she had lent you a Shojo manga…right?"

"Ah—" Ritsuka looked from behind him at the man to the manga in his hands, his eyes wide. He reopened it and looked at the word bubbles for a moment and then closed it completely, staring straight ahead. "Oh God…"

Soubi chuckled behind him, his arms wrapping around the teen and pulling him against his chest. Ritsuka could feel how his body shook when he laughed and the deep mature chuckles sounded so lulling…it was as if he heard Seimei chuckling again…

Closing his eyes, Ritsuka tilted his head back against Soubi's shoulder as the man lightly brushed his knuckles up and down the right side of his neck. The tickling caress caused Ritsuka's hold on the book to slacken and it soon fell to the floor unnoticed.

The chuckles died away but Ritsuka remained still, enjoying the sensation of the strokes of Soubi's knuckles, they tickled but not so much to make him laugh against his will. His other hand slipped beneath his arms and wrapped around his torso, long fingers able to reach around to his side and stroke him with his thumb.

"Soubi…"

"Yes?"

"We're doing it again…aren't we?" he asked, opening his eyes and the Sentouki craned his neck to meet the gaze.

"What?"

Ritsuka lowered his arms from where they had been braced upon his knees and he rest a hand over the one upon his side. "Nothing…you'd laugh if I told you." He grumbled, his cheeks flushing a little as his ears drooped and Soubi's knuckles stopped their stroking.

"What is it?"

Biting his lip, Ritsuka reached up with his other hand and touched Soubi's face with the tips of his fingers, sliding them along his jaw before pressing his palm lightly upon his cheek. The former stroking hand reached over and took Ritsuka's by the wrist, pressing his lips to the open palm, all the while his intense eyes settled upon Ritsuka's.

The Sacrifice flushed a little deeper, lifting his head and peering off to the side. His bedroom was suddenly beginning to feel like one of the most uncomfortable rooms in his house with the way things were beginning to tense up between the two males. This wasn't the time for him to be caught with an older man in such a position with him by his mother...even though the favorite foods tests were being passed by now, his mother still denied him the chance of being accepted…

"Ritsuka?"

He pulled his hand out of Soubi's grip, removing the other and folding his arms across his chest, drawing up his knees and compacting himself to the point that the only parts of Soubi he could feel was his body heat and insides of his thighs. He was so close to the most intimate part of his Sentouki's body but he was just too frightened to be any nearer to it…his mother would catch him...and he would be hurt again…as he was hurt when she discovered that he had snuck out to see Soubi.

Just the thought reminded him of the bandage plastered to his neck on the other side…he hoped that Soubi hadn't noticed it; otherwise another thread of restraint from silencing his mother would sever.

"We're always together like this…and…I was wondering if you were ever tired of it."

"No." Soubi said, resting his hands on Ritsuka's shoulder blades. "I'm not tired of this."

Soubi whispered coaxingly into Ritsuka's ear and the teen slowly uncurled himself, once again leaning back against Soubi's chest, his hand over the Sentouki's as it wrapped around his waist once more.

"In fact…I prefer it this way." He whispered against one of the soft cat ears, making Ritsuka flush again but he stayed still against him.

They sat there in silence for what felt like ages, Soubi's lulling warmth making up for his lack of words. Ritsuka was hardly aware of the room around him as he relaxed there, the comfortable warmth in contrast with the sharp chill of early winter that seemed to penetrate the walls of his home and try to freeze him.

"Kiio wants me to do a painting for one of his clients…" Soubi said suddenly, breaking the silence with the cutting power of his words.

"What of?" he asked, craning his neck to look at the Fighter.

"A butterfly…"

"A butterfly? Why a butterfly?" he asked, arching an eyebrow.

Soubi shrugged a little, "I don't know…but since I wasn't told what to paint, the way the picture will turn out will be at my leisure…" he reached up, running his fingertips lightly about the teen's jaw, making him close his eyes. _Just as your outcome is always based upon what I do to you…whether it is words or a simple stroke of your skin…_

He bent his head down and before Ritsuka could straighten his head, he kissed him lightly.

_I want to hear your spell…_

He held Ritsuka's head with his hand against his cheek, his other hand smoothing up his back and running into his hair, making the teen turn slightly, twisting towards the man in order to meet with the Sentouki's lips more and more effectively.

_Let me hear the spell what will bind you to me…and chain my life to you…_

Timidly moving his lips against Soubi's, Ritsuka eased his mouth open and carefully lapped into the Sentouki's own mouth but Soubi lowered a hand to his shoulder and pulled away.

"Not tonight, Ritsuka…" he said quietly. _Not until you say it…_

Ritsuka stared up at him a moment before lowering his head, his body tensing as he pulled away from Soubi and got to his feet, hiding his eyes behind his bangs. The man watched his Sacrifice warily as he stood there with his hands balled into fists. He reached out for his hand.

_Just say it, Ritsuka…_

He slapped the man's hand away.

"Not tonight? W-What did you think I was doing?" he asked, gritting his teeth, "I-I finally wanted…I thought it was what—"

Soubi stood up, peering down at Ritsuka sympathetically. "I'm sorry…Ritsuka."

"Shut up!" he shouted, his shoulders shaking, "Y-You need to go home…you have a painting to work on…"

"Ritsuka."

"Go home!"

Soubi sighed, "Understood…"

Turning away from Ritsuka, he approached the back window and pushed it open. He peered back over his shoulder at the teen, he was looking up at him again, his eyes wide with what looked like fear. Did he really want the Sentouki to leave?

_I…don't know what to do…I don't want Soubi to leave…but I can't figure out what he meant when I wanted to kiss him…_

He looked up at the window where Soubi had been standing…

…he was gone…

Gritting his teeth, Ritsuka crouched in the middle of his room, holding himself tightly as his eyes stung, the stinging pains were as if Soubi had struck him in the face just by leaving him alone in his room and disappearing into the night. His flight out of the window as silently and as gracefully as a butterfly taking wing from the petals of a flower. Mysterious, graceful, and dangerous…so dangerous…he was as dangerous to the body as he was dangerous to Ritsuka's heart.

Hot tears managed to struggle past Ritsuka's barriers and he flinched as two prominent drops rolled down his cheeks, leaving burning trails…they felt like fire compared to the gentle warmth of Soubi's body…it was a contrast as if he had been seated by the fireplace basking in the warmth but then thrown into the flames.

Soubi was fire…he was fire in his veins and it was scorching his heart every day…

"Sou—bi..." he squeaked to himself through his tightening chest, "Come...come back."

_Soubi…Soubi…I…I love you…Soubi…_

**_---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_**

((I hope it was ok. I wanted Ritsuka to admit it to himself before he told Soubi. Don't worry, I'll try to get the next chapter up soon and I hope it will be satisfactory since it may be the last one...I'm not certain whether to make this the final close encounter or not. Please review to help me find out. Thank you for your suppourt so far.))


	6. Fireless

**_---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_**

**_Fireless_**

**_----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_**

"But I thought you would like it! The story is so cute!"

"I don't read manga." Ritsuka said, looking away as he pressed the book into Yuiko's hands, her ears drooping as she looked at the familiar cover.

"But…" she sniffed, making Ritsuka tense up a little as he noticed how her eyes began to water.

"D-Don't cry, Yuiko." He said giving in and looking at her. Even as a high school student she was still prone to weeping fits. "I just didn't have time to read it, that's all."

She rubbed her eyes, moistening her hands but maintaining a good hold on the comic still in them. She sniffed again but nodded a little, offering a smile, "Alright, Ritsuka-kun, I understand. You're always so busy!"

Ritsuka couldn't help but smile a little, shaking his head slowly at the cheerful girl that had morphed from one stage to another in only a matter of seconds. He liked that about her, he found something to like about everybody…but…even though he liked them all…all of the people around him…Soubi's hurt the most.

Soubi burned…

"Hey, Ritsuka-kun!"

"What is it?" he asked, arching an eyebrow.

Yuiko leaned in close, so close and so quickly that Ritsuka recoiled from the sudden close in the gape between them, his eyes a little wider then they had been since his younger years.

"Do you want to come over today? My parents were working so I thought I would try to make you something!"

Ritsuka bit his lip. "I don't know…"

_I want to go with Yuiko to her house…it's been a while since I saw her…but…I can't break another curfew…and I was going to try to contact Soubi…_

As he thought about it, he reached into his pocket, lightly touching the cell phone resting inside of it. The warmth of the tiny machine warming his bare fingers after the chilly afternoon air.

"Please, Ritsuka-kun!" she pleaded, lacing her fingers together in a begging pose. She looked hopeful and the way her large eyes sparkled with building hope made him have to look away in order to keep himself from giving in noticeably.

"Alright." He said, giving in after seconds of fruitless struggle with his only female friend.

Yuiko cheered, throwing her hands into the air, forgetting that she had been hanging onto the manga and it flew out of her hands, flopping down to the sidewalk at the feet of an approaching figure. It wasn't long before Yuiko was picking it up and bowing apologetically to the man that had been stopped by the fallen comic book.

Ritsuka peered up at the man warily.

He was tall…as tall as Soubi it seemed, he was wearing a wooly trench coat that was fitted compared to the shrouds he saw older men wear. It made a chill run through him when he noticed that the man's face reminded him even more of Soubi, his glasses and his sharp but handsome features…but there was a difference between this man and Soubi. Though the Sentouki was no warm-fuzzy individual, this man's eyes were cold and rather piercing as he smiled a rather sarcastic smile and waved aside Yuiko's apology.

"It's nothing." He said as she straightened up, peering up at him with obvious color rising in her cheeks.

Ritsuka almost turned to walk home without going to Yuiko's when he noticed that the man's eyes were suddenly on him with a knowing expression on his youthful face. He seemed to realize the Sacrifice had caught him since he merely smiled, pushing the frames of his glasses up the bridge of his nose then hiding the hand away within a pocket as he continued to look at Ritsuka.

"Hello." He said in a falsely pleasant voice.

His voice wasn't as deep as Soubi's but it was no less manly and it sounded authoritive, like a college professor's or someone of a knowledgeable nature.

Ritsuka murmured a greeting, averting his eyes from the older man.

He heard the man chuckle…it was a dark chuckle.

"I suppose it's no surprise that you would have no interest in me, Aoyagi-san." The man said, his tone a little mocking.

However the voice sounded, that didn't alter the fact that this man knew Ritsuka's name and he immediately looked back at him with a wide-eyed gaze. Yuiko seemed to be just as surprised, this was the first time any of them had met after all…

"Don't bother asking about it." The man said, walking past them but pausing near Ritsuka. "But if I were you, I'd get a move on before someone else claims "those". It would be much easier on him…"

"Who…are you?"

"An old acquaintance…of Soubi's…"

At the mentioning of the Sentouki's name, Ritsuka's entire body became rigid, his mind blanking out as the man passed him without another word, Yuiko unable to speak either since her attention was on Ritsuka who had become so stiff after the man's words.

"Ritsuka-kun?" she touched his shoulder, jostling him a little.

"No!" he shouted, slapping her hand away, un aware of whose hand he had slapped away until a moment later.

He didn't know why…but that man knew Soubi…and it seemed to be an intimate knowledge for some reason…

Yuiko looked on her friend with concern.

"Ritsuka-kun…"

**_------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_**

_So…he really is as short-tempered as he seemed…_

Leaning back against the high wall of the high school, out of sight from the pink-haired girl and Ritsuka, the man relaxed, removing a cigarette from a silver box that had been in his coat pocket. The cold gleam of the winter sun flickered over the man's glasses as he lowered his head, cupping his hand over the tip of his cigarette that he placed between his lips while igniting a lighter, protecting the flame from any threats of a breeze before he could get a satisfactory red glow at the very tip.

_I can see why he means so much to Soubi…but that doesn't mean he meets my approval. _He thought; removing the cigarette and exhaling a stream of smoke that curled a few inches into the air then drifted into a messy haze that dissipated into the atmosphere. _Still, I was able to get a good look at him on my last day out of the school…_

Replacing the cancer stick, Ritsu-sensei leaned back his head against the bricks, eyes drifting over the buildings beyond his glasses and past the steady stream of smoke that the breathless day left undisturbed. He relished the chilly feel of the natural winter air, rather then the artificial cold that the air conditioner spat out in the darkness of his office, with the cold glow of his computer monitor replacing the winter sun. He liked the cold…it froze everything. Just like his butterflies frozen forever within their glass cases sprawled over his walls.

The, of course…there was that one who got away…

"Soubi, you'll have to hear that confession soon…" he mused, smirking and making his cigarette droop in between his lips. "His ears are in danger with each passing day…"

He lifted his head; glancing back from where he had came from before emitting another stream of smoke, accompanied by a low chuckle. _Teenagers today…they're so impatient…but I suppose he has been waiting quite long enough._

Withdrawing his lighter, Ritsu-sensei looked at the butterfly engraved on the aluminum casing. He sneered at it, remembering looking at Ritsuka's glaring eyes earlier.

"He's burning…"

Pinching his cigarette between his fingers, Ritsu flicked the lighter a few times before a small flame appeared and he held it beneath the filter, watching the flames lick the base, the pure white surface of the expensive brand starting to char and blacken from the heat at the improper end. After a moment, it finally ignited and the teacher watched it slowly burn in between his fingers.

_Soubi's persistence is liquid fire within that child's veins. It always has been…he's been burned to the word degree and one day that scorching will turn into a raging flame that he will not be able to dominate…_

Dropping the burning cig to the sidewalk, he watched the filter's fibers burn away.

"Fire…scorching, charring…purifying." He smirked, "It is only growing into something more serious."

Ritsu pushed away from his wall, abandoning his burning cigarette as he continued on his way. He had a bus to catch…a desk chair to fill…and another student to train.

_**----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**_

"Here ya go!"

Ritsuka lifted his head from the palms of his hands from which he had his head rested in just as Yuiko set down a bowl of ramen in front of him. He wrinkled his nose at the steam rising from the dish, carrying the salty smell of instant shrimp-flavored powder. It was obviously packaged ramen and not homemade as Yuiko had claimed she would give him.

"I'm sorry. The stove wasn't working for some reason." Yuiko said, laughing nervously. "I could only use the microwave…"

"It's fine." He said finally, picking up a package of chopsticks that she had placed next to the bowl for him.

They could hardly eat in silence, the only sounds being Yuiko's slurping once in a while when she had forgotten her table manners and ate more messily. She would also forget that she had already made comments on the taste already and would exclaim how delicious she thought it was or she would cry out if she had burned her tongue.

Ritsuka had hardly touched his, only poking at the softening noodles with the wooden tips of the chopsticks. At the same time he scanned over the broth, almost as if he was waiting for some sort of explanation to emerge from the depths of the dish and explain to him why the man he had met that afternoon knew Soubi.

His hands ached to grab his cell phone and call the Fighter to find out just who the man was to Soubi.

"Yuiko, did you know that man we met after school today?" he asked finally as Yuiko set her empty bowl back onto the table.

She peered up at him for a moment, her ears drooping as she admitted that she had no idea who the man was. She didn't even know what he did or how he looked. Yuiko had been too busty apologizing to him and then noticing how Ritsuka had stiffened in the man's presence. It was as if she hadn't heard a single word the stranger has said to them…

Well…alright she didn't remember.

"Ritsuka-kun…is that why you are being so quiet?" she asked, rising from where she had been sitting and going to sit next to Ritsuka. She watched him prod at the noodles; they were breaking apart from his probing…

"It's nothing." He said without looking at her. "Just forget it."

"But…"

"Don't worry about it." Ritsuka said, looking at her and smiling a little, "Ok?"

_Your smile…_Yuiko thought, still looking a bit upset, _Ritsuka-kun, your smile looks so sad._

Ritsuka was about to attempt another mouthful of ramen but his food would have to wait…his cell phone had suddenly begun to ring and his pocket vibrated with the ringer. He jumped, reaching for it but as his hands were free, Yuiko gasped.

"No!" she cried, pushing him down onto the floor, holding his shoulders.

"Y-Yuiko!" Ritsuka's face burned as he found himself looking up at Yuiko on top of him, her hands holding his shoulders down.

Now…Yuiko was not stronger then Ritsuka…he was just in shock at what had just occurred.

"Y-Yuiko, get off…"

"No!"

"I have to answer!"

"No! No!" She lowered herself on top of him, clinging to his shoulders now rather then pressing them down, her body fitting against his and her tail twitching side to side in brief flicks.

Ritsuka stared at her, light resting his hands over her back. She was quivering…shaking like a frightened child.

"Don't answer it, Ritsuka-kun." She said, lifting her head and looking right into his face, "I…don't want you to have to leave because of it."

Removing his hands, the Sacrifice propped himself on his elbows as Yuiko pushed herself up, straddling his legs as she stared down at his stomach, seeming to be looking past him at the floors below rather then the stomach itself.

_What's gotten into you, Yuiko? _Ritsuka offered a wry smile. "Just because I got a phone call doesn't mean I'll leave, Yuiko. Idiot." He tapped her forehead with his knuckle.

"But…" she wasn't moved by this statement. "That was the ringer for Soubi-kun…"

It was true…Ritsuka knew it was the ringer he had programmed into the phone that identified Soubi out of the other phone calls. He wanted to answer that phone call more then prod at that ramen but Yuiko had stopped him…

"Yuiko…I'm sorry." He said, lowering his eyes. His elbows were beginning to ache from his weight and the uncomfortable wood flooring beneath them. He slid his arms forward and lay back on the floor, staring up at the ceiling. "I can't help it if Soubi calls me…I…I like it when he calls…"

"But…Ritsuka-kun…"

He peered up at her and she leaned down over him, her eyes were glassy with tears but he didn't understand why…in fact, she looked upset and he had no idea why that was so either.

"Ritsuka-kun…I…I like you!"

_**---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**_

Ritsuka wondered down the sidewalk, his hands buried deep within his pockets and eyes counting the cracks in the sidewalk but his mind hardly kept track of the growing numbers. His mind was replaying what he had told Yuiko after she had confessed to him…he hadn't expected her to tell him so suddenly but for some reason, even though she told him, he wasn't shocked.

_I'm sorry, Yuiko…I like you too…but not the way you like me. Our likes…are not the same._

_B-But…Ritsuka-kun…_

_There's…someone I really like right now…and even though it would have been great if it was you…it isn't…I'm sorry…_

"What else could I have said?" he murmured, shuffling his feet.

He held up his phone that he had been cradling hopefully in the palm of his hand since he had left Yuiko's house. The clock displayed on the tiny screen revealed the lengthening evening and the threat of the limiting hour of his curfew. He gripped the phone as the thought of his mother's punishments to come if he was late ran through his head.

"Ritsuka?"

The single word coiled about him and lassoed him down to the spot with its unintentional spell, the soft footsteps behind him triggered his ears to erect and he looked back over his shoulder where the familiar shape slowly advanced up the sidewalk. He trembled as the young man paused a few paces away from him, the slight smile and the cool-eyed gaze from behind lengthy bangs made his heart leapt into his throat.

"S-Soubi…"

"What are you doing here?"

Ritsuka broke free of his frozen legs and spun around, confronting Soubi.

"I-I should ask you that! Why are you here?"

Soubi pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose before indicating with his thumb across the street.

The gesture drew Ritsuka's gaze to the building and he felt his cheeks burn as he recognized the building as Soubi's apartment building. It appeared that he had wondered in the direction of Soubi's apartment without even thinking. He had been so absorbed in his refusal of Yuiko that he hardly noticed the direction his feet had carried him.

"Do you want to go inside?" Soubi offered, smirking.

"N-No!" he snapped, "Why would I?"

The Sentouki approached him and drew him into an embrace.

"You're cold." He murmured, "That's why."

Damn it…he was right…why did this man always have to be right? It was as if the Fighter wasn't human…

"I can warm up when I get home." He said but rested his head against Soubi's shoulder in spite of his refusal.

"Then there is something I want to show you…" he coaxed, stepping away, a hand braced on his back and the other indicating the building.

Ritsuka sighed, his breath escaping into a puff that evaporated seconds after leaving his lips.

He always gave into Soubi…he realized that when he felt the gentle pressure on his back that led him forward. They crossed the street and entered the building through the rusty stairwell leading to Soubi's door.

_**----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**_

_Here I am again…_

Soubi removed his coat, taking Ritsuka's and stashing them away while Soubi eyed a covered canvas in the corner of the room, a paint splattered sheet was spread over the floor beneath it, wrinkled from being trodden on over and over again. There were brushes suspended in jars of oil or water, paints were left on a narrow table that was perched beside the easel.

Not a single chair in sight.

"What is it you wanted to show me?" he asked, peering back over his shoulder as Soubi half-hazardly tied his hair back and approached the covered easel, bracing his hands on his hips as he observed the cloth covering it. He was probably seeing what was beneath the fabrics…eyeing the colors beneath and taunting Ritsuka with the fact that he knew what lie beneath them.

"I finished the painting." He said, craning back his neck and looking at the teenager. "I wanted you to see it first."

"Me?" Ritsuka's short fuse just grew three miles long as he looked at Soubi with a flabbergasted expression. "Why me?"

"Because…" Soubi touched the fabric thoughtfully, "It reflects the desire I want someone to feel…"

"Desire?"

The man nodded, dragging the fabric down and revealing the artwork.

Ritsuka's eyes widened as he looked upon the painting. The colors drew his eyes right to it.

Brilliant shades of orange, yellow, and red ignited the canvas in flames, licking away at the edges relentlessly, but amid these flames, a single blue butterfly seemed to be popping out of a tongue of fire, its wings large and elegant with shades of navy to cornflower, the tiny black body graceful and extended from the flames like a reverse candle wick.

"Do you like it?"

Soubi's words pulled Ritsuka gently but forcefully away from the entrapment he had been encased within when he looked upon the painting. Just that one question could have stirred him back into awareness of Soubi's stronger power…but it was enhanced greatly by the arms snaking about him from under his own arms and sliding across his stomach and the chin digging into his shoulder. He felt the gaze on him…an answer was required?

He was afraid an answer would break the spell.

"I-I think it work for Kiio-san." He managed to choke out, swallowing his heart at last but it still thudded painfully in his chest to make up for its relocation.

"Is that so?" Soubi asked, closing his eyes and releasing his embrace a little, running a hand up his chest before bracing his chin and turning the teen's head toward him when he straightened up a little. "You have no comments then?"

"N-No…"

"Nothing to say?"

"N-Nothing." He murmured.

"Then why am I feeling this?" he asked, pressing his hand firmly against Ritsuka's chest and the Sacrifice reddened as he realized Soubi had felt his heartbeat even through his sweater.

"I think there is something you want to add."

It was burning again…he was being scalded again…the lulling heat of Soubi's touch combined with the sharp change in degrees with the fire scorching Ritsuka's veins. Each beat of his heart burned and he winced as the pressure of Soubi's hand made it pound against his ribs.

"I…" he breathed.

"Yes?" Soubi tensed up.

"I…h-have nothing to tell you!" he snapped, pulling himself free and rounding on the Fighter.

His blistering heart hammered, his breath coming up in short pants that made his body heave but he glared at Soubi as strongly as ever. "I-I have to get home."

_My curfew…_

He turned away, looking for his coat.

_I can't be late again…_

Soubi approached him from behind, gently resting his hands on his shoulders and resting his forehead on the back of Ritsuka's own head. He took a few calm yet deep breaths, the Sacrifice able to hear each deep intake behind him. He was rendered motionless, his body refusing to move…it wanted to know what Soubi was doing...

"Don't go…" the Sentouki finally whispered. "Stay…stay here…"

"Sou—bi…"

This wasn't like him…Soubi hadn't told Ritsuka to stay with him at all…he always passed off others and held him there by force…but as Ritsuka stood there in the silence of Soubi's apartment, he realized that there was a weakened fragment within Soubi's words.

There was a pleading tone…

Soubi's hand curled around Ritsuka's wrist.

"Stay the night with me…"

**_-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_**

((Ok, I couldn't resist...I had to have the story continue. At least I made this chapter longer then the others. Please continue to support me and review, otherwise I will have to discontinue this story. Reviews will feed my "Creative Spirit" and they will also give me confidance in Soubi and Ritsuka's...future scene...

If it wasn't obvious, Ritsu-sensei's little scene by himself was to show that he was _somewhat_ giving up on calling Soubi back to the school and surrendering him to his foolish desires. But you all probably caught that little bit of symbolism. Please review!))


	7. Earless

((_Well, you've read...you've reviewed...you've waited...and it has come to this. The Final Chapter. My last chapter in my first Loveless Fan Fiction piece. I hope that it will be to your liking, I am not very confident in mature scenes and while writing this I kept trying to keep the two as close in character as I could muster. I hope it is satisfactory and I encourage final reviews to let me know if another story is desired or if this shall truely be the end of my Loveless Fan Fics. Please leave your last comment and I hope you can find the true lemons you are looking for in other fictions._))

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**_Earless_**

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Ritsuka shifted a little, turning towards Soubi and looking at the hand gripping his wrist. It was mostly the shock of Soubi's miniscule pleading note that had fastened Ritsuka's feet to the floor, eliminating all thoughts of continuing towards the door after finding his coat. Even now the search of his coat was only a whisper in the back of his mind as he stared at the Fighter.

"_Stay the night with me…"_

For some reason the words made him a little uneasy.

"S-Stop it, Soubi." He said, prying the fingers free from his wrist.

The Sentouki's fingers only tightened their grip on him and he lifted his gaze to Ritsuka, oceanic eyes overpowered Ritsuka as if their positions had been switched and he was no longer the master of the duo…but the underling to Soubi. If he could compare them…Soubi being the leader would have sufficed much more then the other way around. As always…everything about them was unnatural.

Gently pulling on Ritsuka's arm, Soubi guided Ritsuka into him and wrapped his arms about him. He felt so much bigger now…this was not the child he had met four years ago…this was a teenager near his prime. Vital…full of life…he had changed so much but no matter how hard he looked at him, the Sacrifice was still the twelve-year-old that had shouted at him and tried to push him away.

"I love you, Ritsuka." He whispered near his human ear.

"N-No you don't. Stop…stop lying."

"It's not a lie." He said calmly. "I love you."

"I said stop it!" Ritsuka snapped, pushing at Soubi's chest.

_Don't do it...don't make me want to say it! _Ritsuka pleaded inwardly, his hits at Soubi slackening more and more. _Don't burn me any more…_

Soubi parted slightly, tilting up Ritsuka's face with his hands on either sides of it.

"Don't…" Ritsuka said, his voice faltering again. "It…burns…"

Leaning down, Soubi lightly kissed his Sacrifice upon the forehead. _You're burning, Ritsuka…that's why the painting is of flames…because I want to be that blaze inside of you…that painting is your desire, Ritsuka…that is—if you'll let me be that desire._

"Let me hear your spell." He said quietly, guiding Ritsuka away from the door by slowly walking backwards, guiding him by his hands like a child.

"What spell?"

"The one that can help extinguish those flames…"

"Extinguish…" he murmured, dazed and repeating him without much thought.

Soubi nodded, sitting down on the edge of his bed and lacing his fingers between Ritsuka's as the teen stood before him in between his legs and violet eyes searching his own in confusion. He tensed his fingers, squeezing Soubi's so hard he thought he heard his knuckles pop once.

"Yes." He said, releasing one hand carefully and it immediately clung to the fabric of his shirt over his shoulder.

Extending his free arm, he looped it about Ritsuka's waist and pulled him even closer, nuzzling his face against the Sacrifice's stomach. He could smell the detergent used to clean the teen's clothes but with it was a lingering scent that made his chest tighten with a twinge of annoyance…he smelled something feminine…he smelled Yuiko's scented sprays she used mixed with Ritsuka's clothes…

Gripping Ritsuka's hand that was still laced with his, he pushed the teen's shirt up in the back, grazing his fingers over the warmed skin of the teen's back. The flesh had been preserved by the generosity of his coat and his sweater felt so warm…it was a fine contrast compared to his hands that were as cold as ice from their exposure to the winter air. It made him wonder if the teen's face and neck were just as cold…he hadn't given it much thought before now.

Now that Yuiko had been with him at some point…he had to do something about it.

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"Soubi!" Ritsuka jumped as Soubi's hand submerged beneath his sweater and ran over his back. The touch that was once such gentle warmth was suddenly scorching him and he tried to arch away from it but it only made him move closer to Soubi. He was caged in between the burning touch and the man seated upon the bed. "S-Stop!"

"No." he said, releasing his other hand now and pushing up the front of the his sweater, leaning in and kissing the teen's exposed stomach lightly.

Ritsuka flinched from the cold frames of Soubi's glasses that grazed his skin and he jolted back, Soubi's hand firmly keeping him from retreating too far. He hit at Soubi's shoulders but the man continued to push up his sweater farther and his fingertips persisted their contact.

_Why…can't I stop him?_

Ritsuka tilted his head back as Soubi's hand ran up his stomach and beneath the sweater, emerging from the collar and lightly trailing his digits over Ritsuka's neck and down over his collarbone.

Lifting his head, Soubi peered up at the Sacrifice and lowered his hands from him, removing his glasses but continuing to stare upon the teen. Ritsuka's body was starting to tremble, his eyes a little wide and face flushed from the sheer nerves that were alive with every burned inch of his flesh that Soubi had touched.

"Ritsuka."

He almost managed to ask "what?" but Soubi had already grabbed his wrist and pulled him down.

It was a blur for a moment…Ritsuka couldn't see what was happening as he was pulled down and Soubi had moved out of the way so quickly he wondered if he had teleported there in the seconds it took for the teen to collide with the mattress of Soubi's bed. He uttered a cry as he bounced on the springs once and then lay still. The room was silent again…

Opening his eyes after having closed them a moment ago, Ritsuka looked up at Soubi who was seated on the edge of the bed again but one knee was on the mattress and the other foot was braced on the floor. He was leaning over him with one hand pressing into the mattress near Ritsuka's shoulder; the other hand was holding onto his wrist and gripping it almost painfully.

"Ritsuka…I don't want to wait anymore…"

"Wait for what?" Ritsuka asked, pushing himself up on one elbow, "W-What are you doing?"

Soubi lifted his hand from the mattress, stroking Ritsuka's face but he pushed it away in frustration.

"Tell me what you're doing!" he snapped, "Why are you doing this all of a sudden?"

The Fighter frowned a little, releasing his other hand and looking at the teen solemnly. He wanted to tell him what he was doing…tell him that their names could change…but …would Ritsuka still do it? Would he love him? Or would this desire to test the fates make him lose the Sacrifice's trust all over again?

"I can't tell you…"

"Why not?"

"Because…if I told you…you would be angry." He said, closing his eyes, "And I promised I would do whatever you asked…but I can not tell you why I want you. It is the same as me asking you if you loved me. You wouldn't be able to answer easily."

Ritsuka jumped…but Soubi hadn't finished speaking.

"You wouldn't want to tell me if you loved me, would you?" he asked, opening his eyes and looking over at Ritsuka as he pushed him to lay again, his hands on the teen's shoulders. As he pushed him gently back down, he stood and climbed onto the bed, swinging his leg over Ritsuka and kneeling on either side of him, straddling the teen and leaning over him, making sure his eyes were on him, "You're Loveless after all…one who is incapable of love…"

Squeezing his eyes shut tight, Ritsuka turned his face away from Soubi. He wished that the man wasn't caging him within him like this…he was so close…if he was too quiet then Soubi would hear the way his heart was pounding. He may have even been able to hear the flames crackle within him…

But…what was wrong with burning?

He opened his eyes, still peering off to the side.

What did he have to loose from loving Soubi? He had nothing to loose, he could take his mother's abuse if she found out…Mother knew that the real Ritsuka was hidden away in side of him after all…she wouldn't risk killing him and risking all chances of the "Real" Ritsuka awakening. That was right…he didn't have anything to lose…

Turning his head, he stared up at Soubi. The man was still waiting…waiting for him to say something to him and break the silence between them that had formed in their awkward position.

"Soubi…" he lifted his hands, reaching up and touching the Sentouki's face, brushing his bangs out of his eyes and letting the soft strands slide from his fingers. He could tell his hands were shaking…it was clear that he was still uneasy where he lay…but he couldn't help it…he wanted to do something about it.

Wrapping his arms about Soubi's neck, he pulled the Fighter down a little closer, craning his neck till he could reach one of Soubi's ears. He touched the lobe with the tip of his tongue just beneath the earring, tasting the bitter jewelry a moment before he lightly closed his teeth over the very tip of the lobe briefly. He heard Soubi make a soft, struggled noise.

Leaning against the side of his head with his cheek, he took a breath, exhaling against his ear.

"I…love you…"

Soubi jumped, making Ritsuka recoil back flat against the mattress, staring up at the Fighter as he focused on him but his eyes were looking right through him. He was surprised…

"What…did you say?" he asked suddenly, leaning so far over Ritsuka that he smelled the cigarettes on his breath.

_It took me so long to tell you that and now you want me to say it again! _Ritsuka glared up at him, "I love you!" he snapped, "I don't know why but you're everywhere I go and all that I think about! It drives me crazy!"

Ritsuka continued to raise his voice until he realized that Soubi was trying to calm him down, he felt the man's hands stroking his hair and touching his face, his thumbs ran over his bottom lip and craning his head to kiss his forehead.

"Why?" Ritsuka asked, his voice weakening significantly, _Why do I have to love you so much?_

"Ritsuka."

The teenager finally peered up at him.

Lowering himself over Ritsuka to the point that he was lying on top of him, Soubi's lips brushed over Ritsuka's gently, causing the Sacrifice to react, twitching before he attempted to kiss back a little. It was hard to concentrate when Soubi was lying over him and pressing him into the mattress but one of the Sentouki's hands trailed down Ritsuka's side and traced the slender frame of his body until he kneeled over the teen, drawing himself up and parting his lips from Ritsuka's as he straddled him again, his eyes not leaving Aoyagi's for one moment.

"I love you, Ritsuka."

He grit his teeth a moment, shivering as the words slid down his spine like one of Soubi's teasing fingers but he relaxed slowly, reaching up and lightly trailing his fingertips down Soubi's jaw.

"…I…love you too…"

"Then…" Soubi said, unfastening one of the buttons of his own shirt, "Will you stay the night with me?"

Ritsuka hesitated.

"My…Mother…"

"She'll notice your ears missing? Is that what you're worried about?"

Ritsuka almost acknowledged this but he stopped himself. He had decided to tell Soubi how he felt…he had already told himself that he would take whatever punishment given to him…but…even so…

Sitting up stiffly, Ritsuka braced his thumb upon his chin and hooked his index finger beneath it, leaning forward and kissing his Fighter. As his lips pressed against Soubi's he thought he heard a startled sound from Agatsuma…but that was dismissed when he found Soubi's hands slipping under his sweater once again…

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"I can do it…" Ritsuka said; pushing Soubi's hands away from the hem of his sweater after the men managed to shift their positions to where they were both kneeling on Soubi's bed.

"Alright." Soubi said, holding up his hands in a mock surrender but he at least appeared sincere about his actions.

It was awkward to be pulling off his sweater in front of Soubi…sure the Sentouki had done it to him before…but this time it was different, the last time it was a heat of the moment kind of thing…but now the affection was more then what Ritsuka had bargained for in his younger years. Now he wanted to extinguish the fires that were eating his heart away with every moment he had spent without Soubi's touch and the Fighter not knowing how he felt.

He wanted to bring the blaze down to its embers where it would one day begin to smolder again…only when that time came again…he would be ready for the burn…he would want that strange desire.

Running a hand through his hair after removing the sweater, Ritsuka thoughtfully fingered his ears in a melancholy way, his eyes focused upon the bedspread that covered the gap he and Soubi were severed by at the moment.

Sixteen years of having his ears…and in one night…they were going to be gone. It was strange when he thought about it…questions were beginning to form. Such as: Would it hurt when they came off? Did they just fall off? Would he have to pull them off? Did a person bleed when they lost their ears and their tail? What would he do if he had bald spots from where they were?

The tickling of fingers on his sides derailed his train of thought and he once again was brought back into the reality that Soubi was fondling him again, only this time, his chest was bare and Soubi's shirt had become unbuttoned in the amount of time it took him to think.

"Nervous?" the Sentouki asked, smiling a little at his Sacrifice as the teenager averted his eyes, his cheeks tainted with red and his threatened ears drooping a little.

"I-I'm fine!" He grumbled.

Soubi smiled, reaching over and closing the gap between them by embracing Ritsuka. The electrifying shock of skin suddenly touching skin made Ritsuka utter a yelp that made Soubi chuckle. The deep chuckle vibrated throughout Soubi's body and Ritsuka could feel it so thoroughly it was as if he had been chuckling himself. But he couldn't even if he wanted to. They may have had skin to skin in the past…but they were always blinded by thoughtless kisses…now Ritsuka was conscious and all too aware of the situation he was in.

"If you get scared…you can cling to me…" he murmured against the Sacrifice's ears, "You can scratch me too if it will help…but I'm not going to force you."

"Y-You're already forcing me." Ritsuka pointed out, weakly thumping his fist against Soubi's chest and then holding it there.

"I'm sorry."

"No you're not…"

The Fighter chuckled again and released Ritsuka long enough to slide his shirt down over his arms and dropping it in a crumple upon the floor. He returned his hands to Ritsuka's bare shoulders, cupping them then descending the palms of his hands over the teen's arms, feeling the lithe structure that had always been hidden from him for so long.

Resting his forehead against Soubi's collarbone, Ritsuka sighed, closing his eyes and twitching his tail from side to side and then relaxing it. He took a slow breath as every nerve concentrated on the sensation of Soubi's warmth running down his arms as the palms ran down their lengths until they reached his wrists. That's when the fingers coiled about them and his arms were pulled up from his sides and his hands were brought up, suddenly touching Soubi's chest.

"I want you to touch too." He said, releasing one of his hands and Ritsuka lowered the released hand into his lap but his other hand was resting over Soubi's heart where it was placed. Beneath the flesh he could feel the distinct thumping of something within his chest…Soubi's heart. It was beating pretty fast compared to Soubi's calm exterior. It probably rivaled Ritsuka's own heartbeat…

"Soubi…your heartbeat…"

"Hm?"

"It's really fast." The teen said in mild amazement.

Soubi smiled.

"I'm only human, Ritsuka." He said, releasing the wrist of the hand against his heart and waited for Ritsuka to move.

The teen did, he leaned in and pressed his human ear against Soubi's heart and shut his eyes, listening to the pounding heart beneath the flesh of the Sentouki's leanly muscled chest.

"It sounds soothing somehow…" he murmured, eyes still closed, wanting to continue listening to the proof that Soubi was indeed a human being longer…he wanted to keep that sound in his ears, the resonating thumps that revealed Soubi's humanity and his ability to become nervous, anxious, or excited. It was all there in the beats within his breast.

Neither of them knew how much time had passed as Ritsuka listened to Soubi's heartbeat. It didn't occur to them to keep time of their actions or see how much of the night was fading away in their moment together…no, it was just them and their own company within the single room apartment. But even with the desire to listen to the life source, Ritsuka parted from Soubi's chest and was laid back against the mattress again, wrinkling up the comforter as Soubi's mouth glanced over his own, trailing down his neck, the tip of his tongue running down his throat without disgusting Ritsuka with a trail of spit, rather it was a rather dry graze over his flesh and the flames were roaring with the wood being added to them with each touch and kiss.

Kissing the teen's collarbone, Soubi lifted his head, peering up at his Sacrifice to see just what kind of reaction he was stirring from him. The Sentouki was pleased to see how Ritsuka had craned back his head, neck stretching and exposing his Adams Apple prominently and revealing the long contour as it arched. He looked so graceful…almost like a woman…but the masculinity was also evident within the boy.

Gingerly resting his hand upon the teen's chest, Agatsuma continued his agonizing descent down Ritsuka's body, trailing his fingers slowly after his kisses until he was at the navel, that's when his hand came into the lead and grazed over the fly of Ritsuka's high school uniform pants that he had been unable to change out of since he had not been home yet that day.

Ritsuka immediately lifted his head.

"No!"

Soubi paused, lifting his own head.

"Why?"

Ritsuka's face reddened greatly. He didn't have a reason to stop him…he just didn't want Soubi to discover what was being concealed behind the zipper and single snap protection. It was embarrassing.

"It's alright." He said gently, reaching up and brushing the teen's bangs from his eyes.

_Damn him and his words! _Ritsuka cursed the Fighter in his mind as he found himself letting his head flop back down upon the mattress and his eyes shut tightly as he heard his snap undone and the zipper pulled.

Silence...

_He's surprised isn't he? W-What was he expecting with all of those kisses?_

Ritsuka inwardly groaned as the silence deafened him, the complete lack of touch from the Sentouki made him panic…he was afraid to even open his eyes to see the expression on his face.

_Please…say something Soubi…say some—THING!_

Ritsuka gasped as he suddenly felt something touch him in his most personal area. He felt skin…he felt fingers…he felt a thumb…they were all cupping him teasingly and yet gently. He sat upright but another hand stopped him before he got up all of the way, his eyes open wide as he looked up at Soubi's face.

"W-What are you doing?" he demanded.

"I wanted to see if you fell asleep on me." He said but the smirk made Ritsuka think differently.

"P-Pervert…" he grumbled, trying to pull the man's hand away from between his legs.

"Ritsuka." He said, suddenly sounding a bit firm as he moved his hand away, "I'm not a pervert."

The Sacrifice averted his eyes and nodded once, embarrassed and a little put down at the sudden authority in the Sentouki's voice.

"I want to touch…" the Fighter's voice whispered suddenly as he pushed him back down gently, the teen submitting the moment the words left his mouth. "…let me touch you."

He _had_ been touching…but this was the first time that he had Ritsuka literally "by the balls". Pardon the vulgar phrasing. He wanted to be able to touch the teen intimately without him springing up like a jackknife or trying to make him stop. Soubi wanted to be able to touch the body, feel it writhe beneath him and feel the untouched skin beneath his lips. Skin that none other had touched or tasted before…

Ritsuka grit his teeth again, "If you're going to have me naked…y-you have to be too! I'm not going to be the only one looking completely helpless."

"Understood." Soubi said in an affirmative tone and he climbed off of the bed, allowing Ritsuka to sit up again.

Standing beside his bed, Soubi calmly unfastened his belt, sliding it from the loops and wrapping it about his hand as Ritsuka watched him but his eyes wondered towards the back that was turned to him…there were thin lines running in different directions all over the man's back…lines that he hadn't noticed before the few times he had seen him shirtless…but now they were more prominent then ever…

He had stared so long that he had forgotten all about the fact that they were stripping down to Birthday suits and he hadn't even moved to remove his final clothing as well. So it was a complete shock to him when he noticed the way Soubi's pants had slackened about his hips but they lingered there.

Blinking at the Fighter, he slowly climbed off of the bed, approaching him and reached out, running his fingers over the scars on his back.

"Soubi…"

"Don't look at them." Soubi said quietly, turning around and facing the Sacrifice, tilting up his face with his hands, "They're irrelevant."

"But—"

Soubi's mouth capped over his, surprising the teenager as he found that he was not only being kissed…but he felt the warm moisture of Soubi's tongue run over his once and it triggered a reaction that made Ritsuka's knees shake and the Sentouki's arms wrapped around him to steady him but his mouth still occupied Ritsuka's.

_Don't stop it now…_

Soubi opened his eyes slightly, seeing Ritsuka's tightly shut and how his cheeks were flushed, mouth yielding to his kiss without hesitation at last.

_This is your spell, Ritsuka…_

He felt Ritsuka's hands on his chest.

_Don't break it._

Ritsuka pulled his mouth away and he winced as something hard pressed against his sensitive erection, he lowered his eyes to see what…only to lift them again, his entire face bright red and ears hanging low. Soubi could practically hear the steam whistling from the boy's ears.

_I love you, Soubi…_Ritsuka thought, squeezing his eyes tightly shut and running his hands timidly down the man's sides, pushing down at his pants.

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"T-That's wrong!"

Soubi looked up a little perplexed, closing his mouth immediately.

Ritsuka stared down at him, drawing his knees up quickly, "That's…"

"It's not wrong." He reassured him, pulling his legs back down with a little resistance from the teen.

"But—"

Soubi smiled, "Just tell me…" he bent down, "does it feel good?"

Ritsuka gasped, gripping the bedspread as he was drawn into Soubi's mouth, every nerve was on the edge, and he was rigid and unable to move as he felt Soubi's tongue and the strange sensation of his teeth lightly grazing the sensitive skin of his erection.

"It—feels—weird—!"

He jumped as the Sentouki started to lift his head but he slowly descended upon him again and repeated it a few times, each time making Ritsuka panic with the strange and unfamiliar feeling it was giving him. It felt weird and yet pleasant but he wasn't about to admit that to Soubi at that time…it was all too embarrassing!

"S-Stop it! Soubi!"

Closing his eyes, Soubi withdrew himself and sat up, the comforter that they had been tenting beneath sliding down his shoulders as he looked down at the trembling Ritsuka as he pushed himself up onto his elbows.

"It's…its strange!" he exclaimed, _It's…its dirty!_

"Ritsuka…" Soubi comforted, resting a hand over his head, "You're new to it…I was scared as well."

That made Ritsuka snap out of it.

"You…were scared?"

"You didn't think I was heartless, did you?" he asked, arching an eyebrow.

"You…you seem like it." He admitted, averting his eyes.

Soubi took his hand and closed it about himself, making the teen inwardly scream, his tail bristling.

"I'm human, Ritsuka. And it's not wrong…because I love you." He said, releasing Ritsuka's hand, "So…don't be afraid of it."

Ritsuka released him, looking at his hand uneasily before clenching it into a fist. He looked up at Soubi and the Sentouki was surprised by the way Ritsuka's eyes became determined and he shifted to his knees and rest a hand on Soubi's stomach, lightly pressing against it. He sat back, the comforter bunching up behind him now as Ritsuka lowered himself onto the mattress, hands on Soubi's waist and he continued to glare up at Soubi as he lowered his head.

Soubi stifled a groan as the teen suddenly withdrew his own erection partially into his mouth, the uncertainty of the gesture not phasing him at all…it was Ritsuka's mouth after all…and he wasn't keeping score on who was better at it…but chills ran down his spine as Ritsuka hesitantly copied Soubi's former practice on him.

_It is your first time…but Ritsuka…I'm not going to be disappointed…and neither are you._

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"S-Soubi!"

Soubi ran his hand down the teen's back, he outlined the muscles with his index finger and admired every line…every curve, the shoulder blades, the fine line over his spine…his back was as cute as it was when he was little…but now, it was Soubi's back, his…and no one else's.

_I want your name, Ritsuka…I want to believe that there is a way to give me your name…but…can it really be done?_

Resting his hands on the teen's hips, Soubi peered down at Ritsuka as he glanced back over his shoulder, his tail tickled Soubi's stomach and he had to brush it away again as Ritsuka swallowed.

"Can you handle it?" he inquired.

Taking a breath, Ritsuka closed his eyes, turning his face away. "I'm fine!" He gripped the fitted sheet tightly, bracing himself for what he was expecting to be a world of pain rather then pleasure. He trembled under Soubi's hands and the Sentouki hesitated, peering down at the Sacrifice sympathetically.

Sex was supposed to be something that expressed love…but for Ritsuka…he was only making love more and more painful for him…

Perhaps he was really supposed to be called Loveless after all…since love was nothing but pain for him…it must have meant something.

Closing his own eyes, Soubi leaned over, wrapping an arm about the teen's stomach, then, taking a steady breath, he thrusted and a painful gasp met his ears. The sound made him want to stop right then and there, he was hurting Ritsuka. Hurting him as he was always hurting him in their battles whenever Soubi had faltered in Aoyagi's youth. But this pain was only Ritsuka's to bear this time.

Even though Ritsuka was in pain, he knew he wouldn't stop…he knew that he liked it too much.

Easing away a little, Soubi thought he felt Ritsuka relax a little before he thrusted again, this time Ritsuka squeaked and tensed up again.

"Ow…" he whimpered against the mattress.

"I can stop…"

"I-I'm fine!" he snapped over his shoulder, "If—this is what you want, then…go ahead and do it!"

_I love you, Soubi…and if this is what you want, then do it. I don't want to be your master. I don't own you. I want you to be with me as you always have…even though you make things so painful for me._

Another thrust.

_…I…I always want to be near you._

Ritsuka began to relax himself a little as another came on. Comforting hands caressing him.

_Stay with me, Soubi…_

"You can…keep going…I'm…I'm fine!"

Soubi nodded once, and Ritsuka stifled another sound as he felt Soubi plunge deeper inside of him. He couldn't breathe…he forgot how for a moment, his breath caught in his lungs with each thrust and he had to take deep, gasping breaths to make up for the number of caught inhales. He groaned once but slapped his hand over his mouth, embarrassed.

_Is that my voice? _He wondered, shocked, _Is that…MY voice?_

Tensing up as he felt himself reaching his breaking point, Soubi clung to Ritsuka, gritting his teeth a little as he let out a struggled word from his lips.

"R-Ritsuka—"

The teen winced as Soubi suddenly quickened his pace a little but then the man shuddered and he exhaled heavily as warmth flooded through his body, Soubi collapsing onto the mattress as he slumped forward himself. He hadn't even realized just how out of breath he was until he felt Soubi pulling the comforter over them.

Ritsuka curled up against his fighter, closing his eyes as he rest his head against the man's chest, listening to the still pounding heartbeat that would probably take some time to slow back down.

As the Sacrifice lie there against Soubi, he reached up, fingering the bandages about his neck for a moment…he was hesitant to see if what his former teacher said would have been the truth or not…he didn't want to find out…but at the same time he did.

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"My chest itches a little…" Ritsuka said suddenly, sitting up.

Soubi looked at the arch of Ritsuka's back, reaching over and stroking it gently before he noticed that Ritsuka was touching his chest.

"What is it?" he sat up as well.

"There's something on my chest…" Ritsuka said, scratching at it. _Please don't let it be one of those hickies I heard about…_

"Let me see."

"You've looked at my chest enough, tonight." He said, crossing his arms over it.

Soubi smiled, sighing breathlessly, "One more time won't hurt you."

Ritsuka glared at this remark, he had just gone through his first time at sex and it had hurt, he didn't see a very good reason for people to want to do it all the time…with the exception of the fact that he had felt closer to Soubi then he had ever felt before…

"Fine." He grumbled; lowering his arms and Soubi peered down at the red marks that were left behind by Ritsuka's fingernails from when he had scratched at it.

Looking at him he coulf see traces of pink marks on Ritsuka's neck…but he wasn;t sure if the marks were from him…or from something that was not related to their recent fiasco.

However…when Soubi looked at the area in question…he saw what looked like some kind of a mark that was the size of a fist. It was very light in color, he could hardly distinguish it from the teen's skin…but it was there. A mark that was shaped like a broken heart…

"Your name…that is your name, Ritsuka." Soubi said, outlining it with his index finger.

"My name?" Ritsuka tucked his chin in to try and look down at his chest, "You mean…I have a visible mark on me? Like you?"

Soubi looked down at his own chest…but didn't see anything, nor did it itch.

He removed his bandages and ran his fingers over the base of his neck.

_The same…my name…I am still Beloved…_

Shifting his gaze back to Ritsuka, Soubi watched him prod at the mark on his chest with a slight frown. He knew how much Ritsuka somewhat disliked his name and he was sure that he wasn't expecting a mark.

_So...you **were** lying to me after all, Sensei…it's impossible to change one's name._

Ritsuka peered up at the Sentouki, and just as he did, Soubi noticed something else about Ritsuka that he had neglected to notice.

"Ritsuka…your ears." He rested his hand on Ritsuka's brow and smoothed his hand through the teen's hair, "…are gone…"

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**_The End_**


End file.
